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Hailing from world-renown Takefu Knife Village, Takeshi Saji is a third-generation blacksmith in his family. With his new Rainbow Damascus limited edition series, he created knives that are a true work of art and could very well be collector's items. We believe, however, that any knife should be used for its primary function, no matter how good it looks. Regardless whether you keep them behind glass or skillfully wield them in your kitchen, these knives will always be a very attractive masterpiece.

Petty or utility knives are basically a smaller version of gyutos or chef's knives, intended for all those smaller tasks where larger and wider knives are deemed unwieldy. A must-have in every kitchen, this small general-purpose knife is used for peeling and slicing fruit and vegetables, while its compact size and a relatively narrow blade also makes it very nimble and thus perfect for filleting fish, cutting poultry, slicing smaller pieces of dry meats and trimming meat. The blade is 135 mm (6.3") long.

Saji Petty Rainbow Damascus 135mm (5.3") is definitely not just a looker. If you check under the hood, you will find some amazing specs there too. The core of this knife is made of high-carbon Aogami #2 (Blue) steel, tempered to around 62-63 HRC. The core is clad with multiple layers of rust-resistant stainless steel to which brass and copper were added, producing a beautiful, iridescent rainbow Damascus pattern that gives these knives their name.

Aogami #2 ranks among the best Japanese steels because it maintains sharpness for a very long time, whilst it is also very easy to resharpen. Due to relatively high percentage of carbon, however, these knives need to be carefully maintained (wipe it dry after every use and oil the blade) to prevent the development of rust. Because the master smith decided to clad the core into layers of stainless steel, the blade is more resistant and forgiving and will not rust immediately if you forget to oil it (but please don’t). Only the bottom part of the blade, where the core made of Aogami steel is directly exposed, is more sensitive.

The Japanese style (Wa) handle is made of very dense and durable rosewood.

The knife is safely stored in a traditional Japanese wooden box with a burned Saji's trademark kanji characters on the top.

In short, this knife is a great example of usable art!

Specifications:

Blade shape:	Petty
Steel type:	Aogami #2
Hardness (HRC scale):	62-63
Overall length:	260mm (10.2")
Blade length:	135mm (5.3")
Blade height:	30mm (1.2")
Spine thickness:	35mm (1.4")
Weight:	90g (3.2 oz)
Handle length:	115mm (4.5")
Handle type / wood:	Japanese / Rosewood
Blacksmith:	Takeshi Saji

Use & Care:

Handwash in warm water and towel dry
Use a sharpening stone (not a honing steel!) to sharpen your knife
Do not cut frozen foods and meat bones
Do not put the knife in a dishwasher
Read our comprehensive guide on proper Maintenance of Kitchen Knives.

Still doubting which type of Japanese knife should best fit your needs? We created a quick, 5-steps quiz to help you find the perfect knife based on your cooking skills and the type of food you prepare.